“Mobile-first” YouTube unveils new app design

YouTube has unveiled a new design for its mobile app, in line with the company’s new mobile-first strategy.

More than 50% views on mobile

A YouTube spokesperson says: “If you watched a YouTube video recently, chances are you did it on your phone or tablet. Today, more than half the views on YouTube happen using mobile devices. We’re updating the official YouTube apps to bring you an even better mobile experience.”

The company says mobile revenue on YouTube is also up more than 100% year on year.

Three tabs

The redesign includes expansion of the number of tabs from one to three, which was previously titled “Home”. There are now “Home”, “Subscriptions” and “Account” tabs.

The Home tab enables users to search for videos as before, and provides recommendations and playlists based on watch history.

The Subscriptions tab allows users to follow channels and particular users, and will notify them when a channel or user posts a new video.

Vertical viewing, editing and uploading

YouTube has also updated its video viewing options, with viewers now able to watch full-screen vertical videos by tapping the screen.

The updated app provides more scope for editing and uploading videos, as well as viewing them. A new set of video creation tools enables uses to edit video recorded on a smartphone, by trimming footage, adding filters and adding music.

“YouTube isn’t just about enjoying videos; it’s a place to express yourself and show the world what you love,” says the spokesperson. “With the redesigned app you can take your creativity to new levels.”

More updates to come

YouTube will be rolling out further new features to the app later this year, the company says.

The app update is currently available on Android and mobile web services, and is expected to be available on iOS soon.